


Starlight, Starbright.

by EnbyHyena (Parad0xImminent)



Series: Pidgey's Undertale AU Ficbook [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Bars, Dystopian society, Future Fic, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Light Drinking, Other, Post-Apocalyptic, Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Slice of Life, gender neutral reader, kind of, nerds, outertale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 10:08:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20890376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parad0xImminent/pseuds/EnbyHyena
Summary: You get a job, and decide to celebrate at the local bar. There, while your roommate performs in concert, you make friends with a skeleton that seems to carry the universe itself in his sockets.





	Starlight, Starbright.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nuggetsinabox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nuggetsinabox/gifts).

> I got inspired to write, and asked my friend out of the blue to name an AU. Any AU that had an established universe (meaning no outcodes). They said Outertale, and this was the result.  
This is probably a one-shot, knowing my limits. It's also completely un-beta read and was written at 2 o'clock in the morning, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes. However, if the motivation strikes me, I may either make this into a series or add it to a collection with some works in other AUs. We'll just have to see! That being said, I hope you like what I've written here! I don't have time or energy to write much anymore, so it felt good getting this out.

You remember it like it was yesterday. A little over five years ago, you were staring up at the night sky. It was the first time you had ever seen the complete Milky Way, without any light pollution getting in your way. So with your lack of experience, you didn't realize what had happened that night was unusual until the next morning when it hit the news.  
You had seen a bright rainbow-colored light streak across the sky. At the time, you had written it off as a reflection from the northern lights on the clouds, or maybe a shooting star. But it had turned out to be something completely different. A human child, from the society on Mars, had come to Earth with an entourage of the long-forgotten Monster race. The bright flashing light had been a giant ship entering the atmosphere. It had landed out in the middle of nowhere--one of few places still left untouched by human hands, generating little hype at first; however, with as many eyes out as there were, it didn't take long before someone noticed and took it to the press.  
Then the government got involved.  
At first, things didn't look bright- tensions between the human colonies of Mars and the humans left on Earth were running high, and throwing a "third" race into the mix only complicated things further. There was no shortage of discourse in how an already hyper-overpopulated planet could possibly fit a whole new race of beings. Protests were rampant, riots occurred; standard stuff, really. Until finally, almost a year after their initial landing, a compromise had been reached.

The Monsters could exist on the planet, if they could solve the energy crisis. And so it turned out, they could do that with relative ease. Bringing their technology, the Monsters had harnessed a secure method of converting geothermic energy into magical energy, and thus power that could be used much like wind, hydro, or solar. It was groundbreaking. After that, even the nay-sayers fell silent, and the Monsters were allowed to integrate into society.

Most Monsters had opted to spare the remaining wilderness of the planet, and instead elected to move in with human neighbors in existing structures. As a result, culture had become intimately mixed. Monsters were granted their own holidays unique to those of the humans, and were permitted to open their own businesses. Everyone knew everyone, and this closeness permitted humanity to become closer as well. Conflicts became less severe, problems began getting solved, slowly but surely. Really, it was the closest to paradise humanity had been in a very long time.  
"Hey, Shyren- can you get that?" You asked as you turned off the sink in the kitchen, wiping your hands on a towel. The phone had started ringing in the other room, and not wanting to miss the call, you had asked. It's been three years since she had moved in with you, and since then her self-confidence has come leaps and bounds. The siren did as asked, slithering over to the phone and picking it up.

"Hello...who is this?" Shyren cooed into the device. She must have gotten some sort of response, because she turned and held it out to you, you accepting the device and pressing it to your ear. "Hello?"

_Hello, this is the dean of Ebott University- we reviewed your application and considered your interview, and are calling to give you an update. Were you still interested?_

Eyes lighting up, you gave Shyren a beaming smile before forcefully calming your nerves to speak. "Uh- y-yes! I'm still very much interested." The room was silent for a moment as you awaited their verdict, before you silently whoop. "Alright! I'll come in Monday and get started. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Uh-huh! Have a good rest of your day. Good-bye." You hung up with trembling fingers, then broke out in a wide grin, screeching before running over to Shyren and scooping the small Monster into a hug. Shyren made a happy noise herself, like a chirp, as she leaned into your touch.

"I got the job!" You exclaimed. You had recently applied for a position at the local university, as an Astronomist. It was a position in high demand, seeing as there would always need to be more hands prepared to deal with communications with the colonies on Mars, and other intergalactic expeditions. As was apparent, you had successfully obtained the job. "We should go out and celebrate!"

"Yes..." Shyren nodded in agreement. "I have a concert at the local bar tomorrow night...maybe we could go then?" Smiling, you nodded; you always loved to attend Shyren's concerts. Being roommates and relatively long-time friends, you got a hefty discount, frequently attending her moderately expensive concerts as a sort of moral support.

It was a Friday, so you went to the aforementioned bar the following day, on Saturday. Walking in, you could tell some minor decorating had been done to set the atmosphere for Shyren's performance. You were ID checked and given a band that permitted you to be served alcohol. You helped set up, but most of the work had already been done; so once everything was ready to go and patrons begun trickling in, you decided to start your night of light drinking.

"Just something light, please." You tell the bartender, a flame elemental of some sort that emanated vibrant, spectral light. He nodded before sliding something over to you, which you crack into without much hesitation or fanfare. Your attention is grabbed when you hear creaking in the seat next to you, and you turn to see what appears to be a skeleton Monster, in a gold and navy coat that seemed to shimmer as if stardust itself had been woven into the fabric. Without words, the flame Monster slides him a...condiment? It appears to be blue cheese. Tasty as it is, you don't think you'd ever be caught dead in public drinking the stuff straight- and the sight is so bizarre to you, you can't help but stare.

"Hm? Got something to say?" The skeleton suddenly side-eyes you, and you jump before looking away, flustered at having been caught red-handed. "No, uh, sorry...I didn't mean to stare, that was rude."

"Nah, don't worry about it. I don't think I've seen you around here before. Come to see the performance?" Perking up at the invitation to have a conversation, you smile at the skeleton, even as he continues to sip at the blue cheese.

"Yeah, actually! I'm roommates with Shyren. Do you know her, too?" Shyren was...well, _shy,_ and didn't have a lot of friends, even though her stage fright had drastically lessened overall in the time you'd known her. So it wouldn't have been very surprising if she had friends that she didn't mention. And...well, most Monsters just tended to know each other anyways.

"Well, kinda," the skeleton shrugs. "A little interaction here, a little there- don't know that I could with confidence call her more than an acquaintance, though. What're you two celebrating?"

"Oh, haha. I guess that's fair. We're celebrating me getting accepted at a new job. At, uh, the local university actually."

"Really? Doing what?"

"Teaching Astronomy," you said, before blushing as the skeleton's stare seemed to intensify a bit. His sockets appeared to glitter much like the fabric of his clothes, eyelights resembling the luminescent glow of Shyren's angler light.

"Heh. Interesting field. Turns out I actually work at the University, too. Small world, am I right?" You jolt at this information, becoming a bit excited; a potential coworker? "Doing what?" You parroted his earlier inquiry. To your credit, his eyes seemed to hold a bit of amusement at your words.

"Astrophysics, actually. So, uh...we should be in the same building, if not right next to each other." Hearing this, it made sense that a Monster from outer space would be pretty knowledgeable about that stuff. But...was that a rude conclusion to arrive at? You flustered a bit at your internal thoughts, not realizing you'd spaced out until the skeleton in front of you held out his hand.

"My name's Sans. Mind if I get yours?" He offered, and you shook yourself before hastily taking his hand. His gloves were warm, thick, and silky soft to the touch. You stutter out your name. 'Stars give me strength,' you pray before taking a long sip of your liquid courage. Sans seems to take a page from your book and does the same with his condiment.

The two of you talk for awhile, only stopping to listen to Shyren sing, her haunting voice echoing throughout the bar. It brought tears to your eyes, because she sounded so sad; but it was enchanting, and everyone in the room applauded her skills once she was done, including Sans and yourself.

Before you know it, hours had passed, and it was getting into the wee hours of the morning. You'd had quite a bit to drink, and so had Sans. Fortunately, Shyren was there to help you get home, but you had to wonder about your new bone buddy.

"Hey, Sans?" You slurred a bit, groping a bit before grabbing the other's hand. His gloves were soft. You liked soft things.

"Hnn?"

"You gonna be able to get home a'right?" You asked, and Sans' eyes seemed to become oddly focused for a moment before he grinned lopsidedly.

"You inviting me over, starlight?"

Immediately, your face burst into flames. "What?! No- I mean. No offense or anything, but- I, no? I just want to make sure you'll get home safe." You were a rambling mess, continuing on until the skeleton put one hand to your shoulder, and the other to your mouth, effectively covering it.

"I'll make it home fine, alright? So don't worry. It means a lot to me that you care." And that made the words dry up in your throat. All you can do is swallow and nod before Shyren comes over and gently leans into your side. "Hey...we should probably be getting home..." She whispers, while nodding in acknowledgement to Sans, who reciprocated.

"Aw...alright." You shuffled to your feet, and Sans jumped forward, grabbing your sleeve. You turn to him, brows furrowed in confusion, and his face turns deep blue before he retracts his grip, averting his gaze. "Hey, uh...I was wondering. If you'd like to uh. Maybe...trade phone numbers?" Letting out a drunken giggle, you nod before handing him your phone, and he does the same. You both- somewhat clumsily, on your part- enter your information before saying your goodbyes.

A few minutes after you're gone, Sans sighs. Grillby, behind him, crackles inquisitively.

"There's something about them, couldn't you tell?" Sans says, completely sober. He hadn't actually become tipsy at all, although he'd certainly acted the part. Grillby's flames flared for a moment before dimming back down again. Sans laughed. "Yeah, you're right. But hey, we share the same workplace- it's gonna be hard to stay away."

Not long after that, Sans headed home himself, shortcutting back into his house. The lights were off; Papyrus had likely already gone to bed for the evening. He went to his room, grabbed a thick blanket, and then climbed out the window onto his roof. Setting up, he sat down before kicking back and looking up at the sky. It was so much different, looking at space from this angle. But even though it had been Monsterkind's prison for hundreds of years, he couldn't help but still find it beautiful.

"Like they were," he murmured beneath his breath, before blushing and mentally scolding himself. They were co-workers. He had to maintain a bit of professionalism. Friends only. Besides--you probably already had a partner. Who was to say it wasn't Shyren, for all he knew? Still, he found his thoughts repeatedly being drawn back to you. The way you had spoken to him, giving him all of your attention and laughing at his jokes.

He went to bed a little over an hour later, when the sun began to rise. His SOUL felt light just the same as his eyelids felt heavy. And when he went to sleep, it was dreamless.


End file.
